Breech-loading fire-arm



(No Model.)

W. B. HALL.

BREEGH LOADINGTIRE ARM.

\ Patented May 1,1883.

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Witnesses.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AVILLIAM B. HALL, 04F LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,808, dated May 1, 1883. Application filed June Q9, 1852. (No model.)

To all whom tit may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM B. HALL, 'ot' Lancaster, in thecounty ofLancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breach-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the lollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to thc accompanying drawings, which form [.art of this specitication.

My invention relates to an improvement in breech-loading re-arms; and it consists, first, in the combination ot' a mainspring having its rear end curved upward, and a hammer which is operated by a cockinglever from the outside, and which has a suitable recess formed in its lower end forthespring tocatch against, so that when the trigger is pulled the hammer will strike the tiring-pin, and then rebound to a halt'- cock; second, a spring which is secured tothe underside of the tang and which projects downward, and has its lower curved end to bear against the rear edge of the lever at the saine time that it forces the locking-bolt forward in place; third, in the combination of the catch for the fore-end, which is secured to an enlargement, extension, or lump on the bot-toni ofthe barrels by means ot'a set-screw which has its inner end to fit into a beveled recess, whereby the catch can be moved in one direction, but not in the other, bythe tighteningot' the screw, and thus compensate for any wear on the moving parts in locking the barrels in. place; fourth, the combination of the fore-end, a rod which moves through it, alocking-slide having its rear end made pointed,and a U-shaped spring against which this rear end bears, so that the play of the spring will be so slight that there will be no possibility ot' its being broken, at the same time that it gives all the force thatis necessary to keep the locking-slide in place; fifth, in the arrangement and combination ot' parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter.

Figurel is a longitudinal vertical section of a gun embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detached view ot the lock alone. Fig. Sis a detached view of the endwise-moving lockingplate and spring. Fig. 4 is a plan vewof' the Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the rear Figs. 6, 7, 8 are detail Aslight distance in the rear ot' this lug-C is formed a second lug, E, which also has a recess formed in its rear edge for the locking slide or holt to catch in. The locking slide or bolt 1) consists ofthe plate which has a hole, a, made through it suliciently large to pass over the rear lug and to play freely back and forth thereon, so that when it is pushed forward in position by means ot' its spring its front. end will catch in the recess in the rear ofthe front lug, while therear end ofthe opening will catch in the recess which is made in the rear lugand thus lock the barrels rigidly in position upon the stock. This locking slide or bolt has an opening, b, through its rear end, up through wlnch passes the operating-lever G, by which the slide is drawn backward, so as to release the barrels when their rear ends are to be thrown up. For the purpose ot' operating this slide and its lever there is secured to the under side ot' the tang H the dat spring I, which has its lower end curved, so as to catch in a recess which is made in the rear edge ot' this operatinglever, and thus keep it pressed constantly forward. This dat spring also bears against the end ot' the slide itself', so that both the slide and the lever are acted upon by the spring at the same time. By means of this construction I am enabled to dispense with all screws and other fastening devices for thc purpose ot' locking this slide and lever in position. The upper end of 'this lever tits in a suitable recess which is made in the rear edge ot' the frame or body, and its lower end projects downward a suitable distance below the triggerplate. This projecting end, against which the linger is made to catch when the barrels are to be unlocked, tits in a recess which is formed on the front end ot' the trigger-guard J, so as IOC) to protect it and have it as much out ot the way as possible. This rceesss upon the front end ofthe trigger-guard is formed by extending the front end ot' the guard forward, as shown at K, and making the front end of the guard curved, so as to conform to the shape ot' the operating-lever.

Through the rear end ot' the under side of the barrels. or what is called the dat of thc barrels, is -nade a. suitable opening, through which the cartridge-extractor M is passed. This extractor consists of a rod which is reduced in size at its center, and over this reduced portion is passed a sleeve, N, and spring Just in the rear of the sleeve is made a recess in the rod itself, in which catches a setscrew, P, which passes through the rear lug. This set-screw simply forms a stop against which the sleeve catches when the extractor is forced backward, and by thus producing a tension upon the spring the extractor is drawn inward as soon as it is left free topiove, in contradistinetion to being forced outward, as in most cases,and thus preventing friction against the face ot' the standing breech. This cartridge-extractor is operated by means ot' the usual lever in the fore end so that when the rear ends of the barrels are thrown up the lever forces the cartridge-extractoroutward, so as toextract the shells. Through the forward end of the fore-end is passed the sliding r'od Q, which has its'rcar end to bear aga-inst'. the loeking-slideR, which is placed in a recess in the foreend. 'This locking-slide has two openings made through it, so as to catch over the catches S, which are secured to the under side ofthe barrels, whileits rear-end is madepointed, so as to catch between the front'v ends of the U-shaped or divided spring T. This form of spring is used because when the locking-slide is pushed backward its sharpened end simply separates the ends but a very slight distance, and hence there is no possibility of the spring vever becoming broken or injured, which is not the case where any other form of spring is employed.

The catches S are formed in a single piece, and are dovetailed in a suitable projection which is formed on the under side ofthe bar,- rels. In'the under side of this projection is formed a beveled recess, in whichithe inner end of the screw U, which holds the catch in place, is made to catch. This screw bears against;

thc beveled end of the recess and prevents the catches from moving toward the outer ends of the barrels under any circumstances; but by forcingthe screw inward its end catches against the inclined end of the recess andfforces the catch toward the rear end of the barrels. By means of this inclined recess and the screw the catches can be moved by simplysetting up the screw, and thus all wea`r. and tear between the of the standing breech and the rear'end of the fore-end can be taken up. By this simple construction the partscan be always kept closely together, and thus the parts will be made to operate aeenrnffy ai times.

The hinge-piu, which passes through the front end of the standi11g-breech, and ore:- which the bool; upon the foi-eend catchers. if; passed movably through the front end et the breech, so that it can be turned around for ha purpose ot' presenting a new surface to the 'hook at any time, in case it should become worn. Through this hingc-pin if made u bolo through which is passed the screw V, rrhh-,h screw passes through a cap-plate at one end and'into a cap-plate at the other. By moving the screw these two cap-plates W can be taken out, and thus give access to the hinge-pin for the purpose of turning it around.

The mainspring X of the lock consists ol' a straight rod, which has its rear `end turned, as shown, so as to catch in a recess which is made inthe under side of the hammer Y. mer is operated by acocking-lever, Z, from' the outside of the lock, and which hammer has a projection upon its rear'lower corner, in which the two notches are formed. The sear catches in these notches and operates in the nsnal manner. When the trigger is pulled the harnmer strikes the tiring-pin, and then, owing to the shape of the spring and the rounded lower corner which is formed upon the hammer, the hammer automatically springs lback to haltcock.

claim- 1. The combination ofan Inside hammer front corner bearing on the spring whenthc hammer is down, with the mainspring X, having its rear end curved upward, so as to bear against the edge of the hammer and catch in the recess, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the spring I, the lever G, and the locking-plate D, provided with the hole b for the lever to pass through, the spring being made to bear against both the plate and the lever, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the barrels B, having the inclined recess formed in their under side, with the adjustable catch S, the set-screw which passes through the catch into the re- ,.cess, and the fore-end, substantially 'as described.

4'. The combination of the fore-end, the endwse-moving rod Q, the locking-plate R, the

U-shaped spring T, and the catches S, fastened to the barrels, substantially as described.

5 Thecombination ofthecartridgeextractor M, recessed on its under side, sleeve N, spring 0, screw P, and the lever for moving the extractor, substantially as shown.

In testimony whercot I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- M. B. HALL.

Witnesses:

W. H. KERN, C. S.-DRURY.

This hamhaving its lower rear corner rounded away` and a recess formed in its rear edge, and its Having thus described my invention, 1 I

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